Snipe?

[misser]

if theres a few about would have a pop at one....just something different to put in the bag

[strangford wildfowler]

Good theory but you are actually wrong about this in a funny kind of way. Actually there is no right or wrong but I found this method good for an easy shot. I'm not having a go of course or telling anyone how to go about it, but before I really got into woodcock shooting which is all I shoot now, I used to shoot a lot of snipe. We had hundreds of them on the low land behind my father in laws. They often flushed in flocks a dozen or more at a time. In the end I had to challenge myself and at the finish always shot them with an AYA no 4 in 410g. Anyway back to your point about wind. If you want an easy shot then definitely hunt at 90 degrees to the wind. Snipe "jink" left to right or on a horizontal plane and not so much vertically. Naturally they will flush and initially at least, fly into the wind. If you can arrange it that they fly across your front then you don't "see" or at least to a lesser degree the horizontal movement or "jinking" for which they are so famous. You are now just shooting a crossing bird flying at a constant speed. Just like a skeet bird on no 4 stand.

 

Fantastic little bird and deserve better than what I done with them. I used to take the tiny little breasts out, flour,egg and breadcrumbs and into the fryer. Serve in as basket with a selection of dips at a party or get together. That way you can "use" large numbers of them with little plucking or prep. I still rise loads when woodcock shooting but havn't shot one in years. I got my fill of them.

 

That would work too and the wee trick I use works to, I suppose it just trying to find or work out which way you shoot them best for me it my method but I'll be sure to give your method a go.

[kent]

Ah, I doubt I am ever going to shoot one again guys. Could have shot 1/2 dozen today and never raised the gun. Besides anything else size etc. I am normally loaded with no.2 or no.3 steel when ducking

[RossEM]

Snipe are waders, therefore NTX must be used...or so I thought...after checking, I can find no reference to snipe being legally classified as a wader???

 

Had some amazing shooting last season on one of my permissions, all the land has terrible drainage and a couple of particular fields turned to bog soup. Must have seen 50 snipe rise and shot about 3 - which we were more than happy with.

I disagree about jack snipe being hard to distinguish - unlike common snipe, they flush virtually from underfoot, fly at half the speed, don't really jink, don't call in alarm, stay low and usually drop back down within 100 yards. Also they are half the size of common snipe, have a yellow backside and shorter beak...

[wildfowler.250]

Snipe are waders, therefore NTX must be used...or so I thought...after checking, I can find no reference to snipe being legally classified as a wader???

 

Had some amazing shooting last season on one of my permissions, all the land has terrible drainage and a couple of particular fields turned to bog soup. Must have seen 50 snipe rise and shot about 3 - which we were more than happy with.

I disagree about jack snipe being hard to distinguish - unlike common snipe, they flush virtually from underfoot, fly at half the speed, don't really jink, don't call in alarm, stay low and usually drop back down within 100 yards. Also they are half the size of common snipe, have a yellow backside and shorter beak...

Snipe are game. And jack snipe only flying 100 yards isn't very helpful if you're planning to shoot it before 40 yards although valid points!

[SuperGoose75]

I disagree about jack snipe being hard to distinguish - unlike common snipe, they flush virtually from underfoot, fly at half the speed, don't really jink, don't call in alarm, stay low and usually drop back down within 100 yards. Also they are half the size of common snipe, have a yellow backside and shorter beak...

 

Spot on..Quite easy to distinguish for the experienced Shot.

 

I love my Snipe shooting and although I have shot a few jacks over the yrs' I rarely raise my Gun to them now as they are not as challenging as the Common snipe.

i have some places I can go when I am out Rough shooting 'mostly Boggy Fields where I change cartridges from pheasant loads to snipe loads and then back to pheasant loads after ive worked the fields. I use a Specialized snipe cartridge by RC "Disperante" 33grms of no 9 shot and failing that I use Skeet loads of 28grm No 9's although Ive shot snipe with everything from 5's to 9's.

Some on here may remember the cartridge that was known as Snipe Dust.

 

Strangfords, theory is pretty well known amongst Rough shooters and it can give the shooter an edge if he calls for it. I usually keep my Dog at heel while working a Bog as I find snipe will usually flush in range by just walking up.that said I had a lab that went Crazy when on Snipe and became deaf to my commands.I usually had to keep him on a lead tied to my belt.On the subject of dogs,i have often heard of dogs unwilling to pick up a shot snipe and some that did rolled them in there mouths as if not liking the taste of their scent.

 

I also like taking on a high flying Snipe at dusk while flighting Duck.A very challenging shot at a very small target and very rewarding when they come off.

An old neighbour of mine used to advise Shooting straight down the middle while the Snipe was jinking from side to side and the snipe would fly into the shot.

 

For me one of the most sporting birds on the calender and by far the most tastiest.A slice of lemon in the cavity, Wrapped in bacon and 15 to 20 mins in the oven and you have a tasty Delicacy.

[HW682]

as the question came up about non toxic shot.. this is the regulation for England http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1999/2170/pdfs/uksi_19992170_en.pdf

 

edit: now updated by http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2002/2102/pdfs/uksi_20022102_en.pdf

 

so Golden Plover and Common snipe are removed.

 

 

(in summary: Coot; Ducks, Geese and Swans; Moorhen; Golden Plover; Common Snipe )

Edited January 3, 2014 by HW682

[kent]

I disagree about jack snipe being hard to distinguish - unlike common snipe, they flush virtually from underfoot, fly at half the speed, don't really jink, don't call in alarm, stay low and usually drop back down within 100 yards. Also they are half the size of common snipe, have a yellow backside and shorter beak...

 

Spot on..Quite easy to distinguish for the experienced Shot.

 

I love my Snipe shooting and although I have shot a few jacks over the yrs' I rarely raise my Gun to them now as they are not as challenging as the Common snipe.

i have some places I can go when I am out Rough shooting 'mostly Boggy Fields where I change cartridges from pheasant loads to snipe loads and then back to pheasant loads after ive worked the fields. I use a Specialized snipe cartridge by RC "Disperante" 33grms of no 9 shot and failing that I use Skeet loads of 28grm No 9's although Ive shot snipe with everything from 5's to 9's.

Some on here may remember the cartridge that was known as Snipe Dust.

 

Strangfords, theory is pretty well known amongst Rough shooters and it can give the shooter an edge if he calls for it. I usually keep my Dog at heel while working a Bog as I find snipe will usually flush in range by just walking up.that said I had a lab that went Crazy when on Snipe and became deaf to my commands.I usually had to keep him on a lead tied to my belt.On the subject of dogs,i have often heard of dogs unwilling to pick up a shot snipe and some that did rolled them in there mouths as if not liking the taste of their scent.

 

I also like taking on a high flying Snipe at dusk while flighting Duck.A very challenging shot at a very small target and very rewarding when they come off.

An old neighbour of mine used to advise Shooting straight down the middle while the Snipe was jinking from side to side and the snipe would fly into the shot.

 

For me one of the most sporting birds on the calender and by far the most tastiest.A slice of lemon in the cavity, Wrapped in bacon and 15 to 20 mins in the oven and you have a tasty Delicacy.

 

I once witnessed a close call with some nut who tied his dog to his belt shooting, don't do it its crazy unsafe

[thepasty]

We get loads around here as a lot of the grass land is reclaimed moorland so gets plenty wet in winter, you can barely move in some fields without one jumping out and making you jump.

 

I hadnt shot any until yesterday when I thought I'd give them a go....

 

They make for some cracking shooting! I'm yet to try the eating

[guest1957]

as the question came up about non toxic shot.. this is the regulation for England http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1999/2170/pdfs/uksi_19992170_en.pdf

 

(in summary: Coot; Ducks, Geese and Swans; Moorhen; Golden Plover; Common Snipe )

You are referring to out of date legislation. See SI 2002/2102.

[Scully]

Snipe are plentiful where we shoot. Have never tasted Snipe and stopped shooting them years ago as no-one seems to want them anymore.

[SuperGoose75]

 

I once witnessed a close call with some nut who tied his dog to his belt shooting, don't do it its crazy unsafe

 

I suppose I could have told a "porkie" and said I had an immaculately Trained lab or better still a setter/pointer who would flush the snipe from under my feet..!!

However being a truthful non BS'ing sort of fellow I told it how it was. It was when I was younger with a half trained Dog "No fault of his" and it Worked for me and i never had any issues at the time.It was either that or have him running mad through the Bog rising Snipe out of Range.Im the lone hunter type and there was neither man nor beast anywhere near at hand.

 

I will agree it is not an advised tactic due to safety reasons and i should know as Im a firearm safety officer for my Club. Thankfully I have a well behaved animal at present and have learned many things since my youth 'common sense being one and practice shotgun safety at all times.

[HW682]

You are referring to out of date legislation. See SI 2002/2102.

 

and it makes a significant difference as Golden Plover and Common Snipe were deleted from the initial list. Original post edited.

 

(that's what you get posting at 3am whilst watching the cricket Too lazy/tired to check properly)

 

Cheers

[kent]

 

I suppose I could have told a "porkie" and said I had an immaculately Trained lab or better still a setter/pointer who would flush the snipe from under my feet..!!

However being a truthful non BS'ing sort of fellow I told it how it was. It was when I was younger with a half trained Dog "No fault of his" and it Worked for me and i never had any issues at the time.It was either that or have him running mad through the Bog rising Snipe out of Range.Im the lone hunter type and there was neither man nor beast anywhere near at hand.

 

I will agree it is not an advised tactic due to safety reasons and i should know as Im a firearm safety officer for my Club. Thankfully I have a well behaved animal at present and have learned many things since my youth 'common sense being one and practice shotgun safety at all times.

 

Your honesty is to be commended, needs pointing out as there are a lot of less experienced read these threads. Better to have a half wild Mutt hunting badly than a dead mate or even shooting yourself. Walking a boggy field is hard enough as it is